Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Countdown Begins... Again! - 19 Days

In 2006 I moved from Vancouver, Washington to Key West, Florida at the behest of my then boyfriend (now HusBean).

I started a countdown of sorts then, detailing the various details that needed to fall in to place in the time before I left the West Coast.

As of today, there are 19 days until we pull out of the driveway here in Georgia, headed West.

I have reserved a 24' Budget truck and towing dolly, we will be towing my Honda Civic behind the truck, and driving the Honda Element separately. My Mom and our good friend Andy are flying out on May 11 to make the trip back with us.

The menagerie will be in the Element (two dogs, three cats, and hopefully 1 skunk if she shows up by then), which should provide for plenty of comical entertainment.

The house is not packed, but I have started sorting everything in it into X categories: Keep/Long term storage, keep/take to Mom's house, sell, donate/give away, and garbage! I obtained a packing tape kit from a U-Haul store that has several color coded rolls, each printed with a different room or "fragile", "open first", or "storage." These will prove very helpful when loading the truck in an efficient and logical manner!

In the numerous times that I've moved, I've found it helpful to start with all the sentimental stuff and decor. Make it look less homey and it will be easier to dismantle! I've taken almost everything off the walls, and have been gathering up framed pictures and memorabilia.

Today we sorted through the garage, double checking to make sure that Stinkerbell was not trapped in there somewhere, but I also threw some things away and did a little pre-sorting of what is out there. Fortunately I had sorted/packed the majority of the fall and Christmas decor, into labeled clear plastic bins of various sizes. Those can then be packed, several at a time in larger cardboard boxes, labeled for long term storage.

I do have a few sewing jobs to complete before I pack up my machine, but I'm hoping to get those knocked out in the next week.

I also have two pair of sneakers to be embroidered, and a few other pair that may arrive before we leave.

We are also trying to inventory the contents of our pantry and deep freezer, we're throwing a buffet/fundraiser/party on Cinco de Mayo, planning to cook up a bunch of stuff that wouldn't do well traveling for a week, then feeding it to local friends for a suggested donation.